GROUND AND POUND
Here's why polarizing narrative from DeMeco Ryans, Texans just doesn't add up
Oct 12, 2023, 12:23 pm
The Texans are struggling to run the ball. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Houston Texans head coach questions run game
DeMeco Ryans is highly respected. Always has been, and always will be. His reputation precedes him. Since his high school days, he's been known as a leader. One who does it by example. He walks the walk and talks the talk. Not many coaches have been able to turn successful playing careers on every level into a head coaching gig at the highest level. The ones who have are few and far in between. While he's only a handful of games into his head coaching career, he seems destined for something special. When he speaks on something, everyone should listen.
If you've watched the presser above, you noticed the first two answers: one was about toughness, the other was about the run game. Playing with toughness and running the ball effectively are calling cards of a defensive-minded coach. What I found surprising is his reference to making a guy miss in the hole and forcing some missed tackles. He complimented the offensive line for their blocking (run and pass), but seemed to call out the running backs.
The offensive line has had a ton of injuries. Either on season-ending injury reserve, temporary reserve, or out for a game or two. Giving up no sacks to the Steelers was very impressive with several backups. C.J. Stroud has had time to throw and has carved up defenses. It isn't perfect, but he's had decent protection. The run game is a different story.
They average 82.6 yards per game on 27.2 carries per game, for a paltry three yard per carry average. The three longest runs this season are 15 (Dameon Pierce), 14 (Devin Singletary), and 11 yards (a scramble by Stroud). They run the ball on 42.1% of their plays. I imagine his is not how DeMeco, or Bobby Slowik, envisioned this offense looking. But who's truly at fault?
I say it's the offensive line play and the play calling. The running backs didn't suddenly forget how to run. Pierce averaged four yards a carry last year as a rookie. Singletary has never averaged less than 4.4 a carry in his career. They're at 2.9 and 3.5, respectively, this season. I feel as though DeMeco covered for the line and put some of the onus on the backs to make guys miss. That's hard to do when blocks are being missed.
The play Jeremy Branham posted was a perfect example. It's a zone run to the right side. Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard seal off the left side of the defensive line. Jarrett Patterson, Shaq Mason, and George Fant are all supposed to move to the right in unison to set up the run for Pierce. As you can see, Mason moves to the second level and clearly misses his assignment, leading to a big loss by Pierce. Some might say Fant blew the assignment. I can see how one would think that given that the defensive end was lined up over Fant's outside shoulder. Zone plays are designed for the lineman to block an area, not a set person. Moving to the right, where the play was designed to go, he most likely had a different assignment. Bottom line: someone messed up and it wasn't Pierce.
While this is just one example, there are plenty to pick from. Can the running backs be better? Yes. Can the line block better? Yes. Should the play calling take all this into consideration? Most definitely. The fact remains that this line has injuries and is void of some talent (and healthy talent) at the moment. Asking more from your backs is a little much. I get trying to protect your line and give those guys confidence, but not at the expense of making the backs feel as if they need to step it up. Maybe it's DeMeco's way of firing those guys up and keeping them motivated.
DeMeco didn't draft Pierce. Singletary was signed to be a complimentary back. The team extended Tunsil, Howard, and Mason this offseason. See where this is going? I feel like this is a bit of preservation in their offensive line decisions, but also a way of saying they need more talent in the backfield. Regardless, I still believe in what DeMeco is doing until he gives me several reasons why I shouldn't. I can disagree with his statement and still support his overall mission. It's called duality and fans should try it sometimes.
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The Houston Texans have a chance to win a third straight AFC South title this season with quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans.
The challenge?
Nobody has won three straight titles since Peyton Manning was in his prime with the Indianapolis Colts in this division’s early years. The Tennessee Titans most recently came the closest only to come up short in 2022.
“I’m not really sure like what the next step is,” Houston general manager Nick Caserio said. “I mean we have a good football team, so we’ve been one of the best eight teams in the league the last two years. So what’s going to happen beyond that nobody has any idea.”
The Texans have advanced to two straight divisional rounds each of the past two postseasons, losing both with the most recent to Kansas City 23-14 in January. Caserio made a variety of moves to help Stroud, and coach DeMeco Ryans switched offensive coordinators as well.
Houston tight end Dalton Schultz said they just have to do one thing to get past the divisional round.
“It’s never the same as the year before, and there’s always some little wrinkle that is going to hit the league or hit your team,” Schultz said.
Houston went 10-7 in 2024 with the Colts at 8-9 with everyone working furiously to catch up — or else.
Indianapolis switched starting quarterbacks. Jacksonville hired a new coach and general manager before trading up to draft Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Tennessee has No. 1 draft pick overall in Cam Ward starting at quarterback after firing and hiring a new general manager.
“This league is a year-to-year league and what do I feel is best for the Colts in 2025,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said.
Texans’ challenge
Houston has to protect Stroud better. Only Chicago’s Caleb Williams was sacked more than the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. With the pounding, Stroud’s production dipped as he was sacked 52 times with his interceptions more than doubling to 12 from his rookie season.
Stroud still threw for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ryans fired Bobby Slowik and hired Nick Caley as offensive coordinator.
“He comes from a different style than I’m used to, at least in the NFL,” Stroud said of Caley. “So, it’s cool just to learn something new and put another tool in my toolbox.”
Caserio traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington during the offseason to clear space to sign younger players. The Texans are expected to start a rookie at left tackle in second-round pick Aireontae Ersery with Tytus Howard at right tackle where he started 16 games last season.
Houston also acquired Christian Kirk, signed Justin Watson and drafted a pair of receivers out of Iowa State to provide depth behind Nico Collins after letting Stefon Diggs leave in free agency. Caserio also sent wide receiver John Metchie to Philadelphia for tight end Harrison Bryant on Aug. 17.
Hey Danny Dimes
Indianapolis has missed the playoffs the past four seasons, and a fifth straight could cost Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard their jobs with the late Jim Irsay’s daughters now running the franchise.
Going with Daniel Jones means the franchise who went two decades with Manning and Andrew Luck at quarterback will have yet another starter on opening day. Since 2017, only Anthony Richardson has started back-to-back season openers.
Yet the fourth overall pick in 2023 couldn’t stay healthy or help Jonathan Taylor nearly enough. Taylor ran for 1,431 yards and 11 TDs as Richardson completed just 47.7% of his throws, the lowest rate of any regular starter in the NFL.
Steichen said Richardson, 23, was thrown into the fire. The Colts coach isn’t ready to talk about Jones’ future.
“Let’s see how the season goes,” Steichen said.
Jacksonville’s youth movement
The biggest makeover came in Jacksonville, firing a Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke. The Jaguars hired Liam Coen as coach and James Gladstone, 34, as their new GM.
The Jaguars are trying to fix a team that went 3-10 in one-score games in 2024 with the franchise losers of 18 of its past 23.
In his first head coaching job, Coen, 39, has a pair of first-timers in offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. As coordinator in Tampa Bay, Coen became the first NFL coordinator in at least 25 years to help a team average more than 28 points a game.
He has Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, who was limited by injuries to 10 games in 2024. Wide receiver Brian Thomas now can get help from Hunter, even if the rookie will also play some defense.
Tennessee time
Brian Callahan also was a first-time head coach a year ago with the Titans. He brought in a former NFL head coach in Mike McCoy this offseason among a handful of other changes to apply his lessons learned.
Mike Borgonzi was hired as GM when Ran Carthon’s big offseason spending spree didn’t pan out. The Titans have embraced their rebuild even if they added veteran receivers Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson along with left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and right guard Kevin Zeitler.
Predicted order of finish
Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville.